Atiku faults Tinubu’s security strategy as ex-lawmaker dies in captivity

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday faulted the security strategy of President Bola Tinubu following the death of former House of Representatives member, Abba Adamu, in kidnappers’ captivity.

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Adamu was reportedly abducted by bandits along the Abuja-Kaduna highway on May 3 and died in captivity nine days later despite efforts by his family to secure his release.

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Reacting in a statement issued in Abuja through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the incident as a grim reflection of the worsening insecurity across the country.

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The former VP said the death of the ex-lawmaker was not only a personal tragedy but also a damning indictment of a government that had allegedly failed in its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.

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He said, “Adamu’s death is yet another grim reminder of the worsening collapse of security under the Tinubu administration. Let us be brutally honest: Nigeria is under siege, and this administration appears either overwhelmed, indifferent, or dangerously incompetent in the face of this national emergency.

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“When a former member of the National Assembly can be abducted on one of the country’s most strategic highways and die in captivity, what hope remains for the ordinary Nigerian who lacks visibility, influence, or protection?”

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The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress lamented that insecurity had become widespread, with citizens allegedly being kidnapped from highways, farms, communities and homes while government responses remained inadequate.

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“This is no longer about isolated incidents. It is now a horrifying pattern. Nigerians are being kidnapped from highways, farms, communities, even their homes, while the government continues to issue sterile statements and recycled assurances that bear no resemblance to the lived reality of our people,” he stated.

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Atiku further alleged that insecurity under the current administration had evolved into what he called “a cruel national routine,” saying many Nigerians now travel in fear while businesses and farming activities continue to suffer disruptions.

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The Waziri Adamawa also criticised the continued attacks along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor despite repeated assurances by security agencies and huge budgetary allocations to the sector.

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“A government that cannot secure its highways cannot claim to govern. A government that watches citizens get hunted like prey has failed the most elementary test of leadership.

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“It is particularly tragic that the Abuja-Kaduna corridor and surrounding routes have remained notorious theatres of terror despite repeated promises, security budgets running into trillions, and endless propaganda about progress,” he added.

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He questioned the Federal Government’s security strategy and demanded accountability from the administration.

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“Nigerians deserve answers. What exactly is the security strategy of this administration? Where is the urgency? Where is the accountability? How many more deaths must be recorded before this government realises that press releases do not defeat bandits?

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“No amount of political spin can deodorise this failure. A nation where former lawmakers die in captivity while criminals operate with audacity is a nation in distress.

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“At this point, what Nigerians need is not another hollow condolence message. They need decisive leadership, coherent action, and measurable results,” he stated.

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Atiku also extended condolences to the family of the deceased, the people of Jigawa State and other Nigerians affected by insecurity, while urging the Federal Government to treat the nation’s worsening security crisis as an emergency.

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